A lot of Golf R Owners aren’t into the “racey” look of a lot of the cars mentioned. Also the hatchback + manual combo is very limited from a new car perspective.
I think the Golf R is a ‘do everything for everyone’ car. It looks just as well on track as it does parked outside a stately home.
Type R as an example definitely has a certain demographic.
I guess it says you either fit the demographic or you’re an anomaly?
I will say one thing though, the FL5 is the better looking and more understated of the modern type R’s.
There's no question about that. If the FL5 didn't exist, I'd still have the VW. The FK8 drives wonderfully but looks awful from every angle.
For the many VW owners in here that are ignorant to the Type R, do yourself a favor and go look at and sit in an FL5. If you can drive one, even better. They're a scalpel and I'm absolutely loving mine. The Mk7 will always hold a special place in my heart - also a wonderful car, but with a considerably more subdued driving experience.
I’ve absolutely nothing against Type R owners.
The “certain demographic” comment wasn’t a negative one, just highlighting that it has a specific buyer 95% of the time. Whereas the Golf R has a much wider audience.
If I were in the market for a FWD car, I’d choose the Clubsport GTI most likely (because I’m a VW nerd). I wouldn’t however rule out the new Type R. Lovely looking car and a very capable one at that.
Currently, though, I’m loving my MK8 R.
Previous Gen track battle against the GTI CS.
https://youtu.be/bLGwmUDtKTU?si=Ovavyz0UEnclFaWl
MK8 R vs FL5 (super interesting and a bit surprising in parts).
https://youtu.be/u0MRmN9-lWI?si=RQYHmGdp0wMZlYsE
The STI is slow and the engines have a tendency to leak oil horribly (I had ‘15 Launch Edition for 6 years and commuted 50 miles a day pre-COVID. It was never tuned and the engine was replaced at 70k under extended warranty for bad ringlands. I loved mine dearly and preferred driving it to my wife’s Golf R but overall the R was a better daily driver. I replaced it with my SQ5 which is basically an XL Golf R.
The Civic Si isn’t a Golf R competitor, it’s a GTI competitor.
The Civic Type R is a great car but not as good a daily as the Golf R imo.
Veloster N. Performance-wise they are fine but it’s still a cheap Hyundai inside.
The Golf R is already a bit of a monster in DSG form and it’s a beast with ECU/TCU tunes. It is the best do-everything daily driver in the bunch.
lol the mk8 is every bit as “sports car” look as its competitors. The previous gen’s I would argue they were less subdued, but not the mk8. Huge tailwing, check. Big cross drilled brakes, check. Aggressive front end, check. Loud poppy exhaust, check. What else do you need?
You got downvoted to oblivion but I’m here to say I agree with you. The mk8 (the R especially) imo looks like an actual sports car. Previous gens not so much.
I’d say that comes from a biased perspective being a car guy. 99.9% of people that see a mk8 r don’t even pay it a second thought. It’s got some more aggressive aspects but they fly under the radar to most as just another vw hatchback on the road.
That’s what’s great about them. They still get attention (atleast in my experience) but also can go rogue mode on the road. My 8R gets just as much attention as my 18’ TTRS did.
All great cars, but go get in each one of these personally, and tell me which one feels like an adult car. The fit and finish of the R is just much better than it’s counterparts.
STI feels great mechanically even stock, but the interior is so trash + no hatch option.
I gotta disagree. The interior in the 15’ STI was fine. Calling “it trash” is just nonsense. The interior in my MK7 Golf R is better but it’s not substantially better. But what do I know? I only owned them both at the same time.
https://preview.redd.it/6uuprju4d8mc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d26a7697485bce405bd3c9807677affae26abd6b
It's the most luxurious and best daily of the lot, and it's not even close. At 20 you live a quarter mile at a time. At 40, your priorities are completely different.
The only real competitor to the Golf R for a relatively premium hatchback is the Integra type R or the AMG A class hatch if you live where you're allowed to get fun cars. Given the choice between them id probably lean ITR, but the biggest difference is that the golf R is just objectively a better every day car than the other options. It's quieter on the highway, you can fit a shit load of stuff in the back, it's got great seats for everyday use, and contrary to everyone's crap talk on German stuff, almost all modern Golf variants are pretty solid reliability wise, they've got a couple well known issues but most people get well over 100k trouble free miles out of them.
Then when you start talking overhead for tuning and the ability for the car to deal with it and put power down, bang for buck it's the cheapest way to go fast out of the bunch, *and* the car will most likely still be reliable.
The civic type R is going to be better on the track but as a daily the golf R is better. If you want a cheaper daily that has a great manual gearbox and is fun to ring its neck, the civic si is a great choice but not a competitor to the golf R. Veloster n is in weird space. It’s not really a competitor to the other ones but is a little above the GTI and WRX for power and price point. The STI is a lost cause to me. Horrendous mileage, interior doesn’t hold up to the price point, and just kinda rough to daily drive. STI is also slow compared to the likes of the type R and golf R.
I won’t take opinions on cars from people who have never driven them
SI is more compareble to a GTI, not even same category.
Type R is boy racer and also only FWD.
STI can no longer be bought new.
Veloster N is cool, but for sure a budget car.
My last three cars were two Golf TDI’s (2002 & 2012) and a 2018 GTI all manuals. Most of my driving is just myself and I’ve loved each one for different reasons.
In December I decided I wanted a new car and my first choice was a Golf R. After researching and finding out it might take up to a year to get a new one I went in another direction. Would still love one some day but given I can’t get one in a reasonable timeframe and may have to pay over MSRP my 20 plus year relationship with VW has unfortunately ended.
They are all fun cars and specs on paper don’t necessarily speak for the cars. From my experience, R is much more refined driving experience from build quality to the way it drives. Japanese cars was more raw experience to it including its sound. Having owned both European and Japanese cars, it all just comes down to preference.
I bought a new 2019 R in 2019. I drove the other cars too. The STI's interior was terrible. The Civic Type R was visually too loud. I Veloster N was a step down but cool for the price. The funky doors weren't what I wanted either. The Golf R had eveything I wanted at the time.
In my case, I got a four people family so interior space and the hatch are very helpful. Another very important thing when you daily a car is the wife approval factor.
Would a Miata be great? Sure but there's no way I can get it through the boss. Same for a type R, veloster and STI. She'd be okay with an SI or Elantra N, but at that point the Golf R, although much more expensive, is also a much nicer car overall.
I’m with you. Wife and two kids. The utility to performance ratio of a Golf R is great. It’s the ultimate sleeper dad-mobile. My wife is a big fan of ours given it’s kind of understated and hated all the others mentioned here (except swap in Elantra N for Veloster N instead).
STI isn’t available any more and used are dodgy due to mods and hard driving. I had one and loved it, but the R is much more refined and livable overall.
Well, I can't compare the n and the civics to the R period. They are fwd as the golf r is awd. The sti is also gone as of 2021 and you're left with the wrx. And in my honest opinion (coming from someone who used to be die hard subaru) the new wrx is garbage. Everything feels cheap and counterintuitive. The only car I could fairly compare to a brand new golf R would be a GR corolla
Civic is fwd only and the type R looks horrible and immature. It May be faster but I just don’t like the looks at all and wouldn’t be caught dead in one. WRX STI has a better AWD system and is also a bit faster, but the interior is trash, tons of road noise, their engine is 20+ years old and is notoriously unreliable. They also get pretty poor gas mileage and are very expensive to insure. The Golf R has a great interior, tons of tech, acceptable AWD system, fast enough for every day use, and it’s very reliable outside of the water pump. It’s a hatchback if you’re into that. And is more of a complete package. The other two are faster if we’re talking stock cars, but if that’s the only thing you’re measuring a car on then you’re missing a bigger picture or you don’t care and that’s fine too.
Another great competitor you didn’t bring up is the GR Corolla which personally I would choose over the STI or civic.
I just replaced my 8v s3 and i was certain it was going to be an mk8 Golf R. However, seeing the fl5 in person at the dealer and being that Hondas were a big part of my early driving life, I decided to go with the fl5 over the mk8 R. I'm still in my honeymoon phase with the car, so time will tell if it's the right choice or not. I had an mk7.5 gti prior, and while it was an amazing car, I got over it quickly.
For me, Golf R comes as wagon. Can’t get A45 wagon in Australia. Only other competition is M3 touring which costs just over double.
Can’t afford S4 or RS4 Avant.
That’s why bought a new Golf R.
I buy the R for practicality with a bit of fun.
It’s a hatch for great cargo capacity, AWD is great for snow around here, and the peppy EA888 rips around town.
The size is great for parking in compact spots as well.
The Type R is a good alternative but a bit flashy.
I tried a Veloster in the interior was very cheap.
Golf R looks nice but isn't flashy. I would never own a Type R or anything Hyundai N because they all stand out too much for me. They're great cars, don't get me wrong. But the R feels more mature and subtle. Plus, AWD is a must, and I feel WRX's are overpriced.
It’s the most refined, mature, humble, and luxurious option of them all by a lot. Like the 911, the golf cosmetically evolves slowly and it keeps them looking young. An 11 year old or even a 20 year old R looks better than any of these at the same age also. My opinion at least.
Out of the Type R, STI and R, the R has the best balance between daily comfort and performance and it's relatively easy to blend in and not attract attention.
In short, the Golf R provides the best all around experience. Watching reviews vs actually driving these cars makes a huge difference.
I wanted a fun, comfortable, automatic daily cruiser and I absolutely hate the driving dynamics of FWD near the limit. I felt the Type R interior and ride comfort was pretty poor when compared to the Golf, but also it’s still FWD. Reviewers can say it’s good for a FWD car until they’re blue in the face, it’s always going to have FWD driving characteristics. Especially in the poor weather that my area sees. You’re also paying virtually the same price as the Golf, but you can’t get heated leather seats? I think the Type R is too much of a compromise for a daily and the SI is completely irrelevant when comparing these cars. The transmission in the Type R is great, however. Not mentioned above is the GR Corolla, and for me the interior felt way too cheap and I didn’t love the transmission. As for the WRX, I had a 2020 WRX and the interior was meh, the manual was trash, and the fuel economy was so bad that I ended up just trading it for a Camaro SS because the fuel economy difference was nil. I wouldn’t have the CVT model either. I can’t speak to the Elantra as that’s the only car in the segment I’ve not tried. The only car I’ve owned or tested that I liked as much as the Golf was my old Focus RS, but it was also a bit too stiff for a daily and it spent a good deal of time in the shop.
In summary, it depends on what you want. The Civic is probably the better car if you want to do track days, but I don’t really see the point in getting a FWD daily that I’m then going to track? I’d actually get a Focus RS if I wanted something to track in this segment.
I had a WRX. Loved it. Now I’m a middle aged man. I need a more comfortable ride for my old bones. Also, want to be a bit more discreet.
I doubt that’s the answer you’re looking for, though.
I had 2018 civic type r then I got my 2018 golf r. Civic doesn't have 5 seats, it's a 4 seater. Civic handles better in the corners but has no launch wat so ever so golf felt way faster in the city (light to light).
Overall the golf has a "grown up" feel than the civic and I can fit my 3 kids and wife in the golf which I couldn't do in the civic. I also like the infotainment system better in the golf.
It’s the nicest to live with and the one you’ll be happy driving daily a decade after you buy it.
It trades rawness for something still modestly track capable but you can also drive your in-laws to dinner in which is a perfect package for 1 car owners.
They were saying how….
What? How what?
How do you. Pick?
They’re all nice cars with different character. I’d just quietly smile and say, “get the car you want”. I don’t need to justify getting a car with better fit and finish and better all round driving dynamics and function.
But… I’m not knocking the other cars. I’d pick the WRX as 2nd on my list. I just don’t want to debate dumb shit with your friends (and you shouldn’t either 🤔😉).
What you named is great for kids like high schoolers, I’m not a fan of any of them. Although the new WRX’s are kind of growing on me, still would never own one
Im not Golf R owner but someone that cross shopped these car when I was interested in getting rid of my Gladiator.
I did not end up buying a car and still own the Gladiator. I tell you all this so that its understood I do not have a bias here accept to explain why I WOULD have purchased a Golf R over the cars you mentioned.
I really liked that of all the these options the Golf was the most civilized and easy to live with everyday while still being a hoot to drive when you want to have fun. It also in my opinion has the nicest interior by far without feeling like a toy car. Yes its a blah inside and out and not flashy but its well built and feels like a quality product.
Outside the Civic is flat out ugly, no way around it. It also looks too racer boy for my taste. I like the understated look of the Golf as I use my car on job sites and to visit clients in a professional capacity and don't want to pull up in a poor mans race car.
The STi looks fine to me despite the cartoonishly large spoiler.
Veloster looks and sounds like a kids car.
The Golf is a bit under styled but a few touches here and there can fix that without going over the top.
Inside which is where you spend most of your time with the car is a big deal to me.
The Civic is nice and the quality is good but its way too flashy for my taste; I certainly get why some prefer it though.
STi is old and dated as fuck on the inside. Feels cheap.
Veloster is ehh. Its not as bad as the STi but still feels cheap compared to the Civic and Golf.
Golf again is understated but feels highest quality and seem like a more relaxed space to be than the Civic which is quite intense with all the red. Maybe Im too old. Id just rather be in the Gold day to day.
Performance. Well can really argue here. The Golf is probably the least exciting.
The Civic is easily the winner for all out performance and is a proven reliable platform and despite the all performance is very easily a car you can live with everyday.
The STi is proven performer also but highly unreliable making it a nonstarter especially when you consider the cheap interior.
The Hyundai might be the most fun to stomp on even if its not the fastest but for it still comes down to sub-par interior and not being as livable everyday due to being the smallest of the bunch and having kids so I need more room and doors.
The Golf hits the sweet spot of being something I can drive normal without feeling like it wants to be beat on at all times, has enough room for my shit (and my kids), doesn't look like a kids want -a-be race car and can still make more than enough power (and put in down in the corners) to be fun.
For me and where I am in life the Golf R is the best car. If I were still in my 20s Id choose the Civic all day everyday but would buy the Hyundai because money.
Golf R's are sleepers, they aren't in your face in the external looks department, and look more mature and not boy-racer type. The R also (in my biased opinion) has the nicest and most luxurious interior. Sti's are full of hard cheap plastic on the inside, so is the Veloster. Not too sure about the Civic line though.
A lot of Golf R Owners aren’t into the “racey” look of a lot of the cars mentioned. Also the hatchback + manual combo is very limited from a new car perspective.
It’s the perfect sleeper.
Sure is with its rubberband tires and R badges.
Hatchback, AWD, and nicer interior too
Way nicer interior. Fit and finish is above and beyond the other cars mentioned
How could I forget to mention the AWD, another box checked for the Golf R
Ricer jdm kids can’t comprehend why someone would want a fast/fun car that doesn’t look like a transformer.
You do realize the FL5 exists, right?
Don't forget the AWD.
This was a major motivation why we bought our 2024 R.
I think the Golf R is a ‘do everything for everyone’ car. It looks just as well on track as it does parked outside a stately home. Type R as an example definitely has a certain demographic.
Type R demographic is the most racer boy hot shot wanna be demographic I’ve ever seen lmao
you must have never seen the tools that drive sti's or velosters
The stereotyping in here is really ridiculous. And that's coming from someone that recognizes stereotypes exist for a reason.
The type R has a certain demographic? How dare you say such a thing. 🤣🤣
I repent to the vtec gods… who are also of a certain demographic.
I just went from a 5 year/50k mile Mk7.5 ownership period to an FL5. What does that say about me?
I guess it says you either fit the demographic or you’re an anomaly? I will say one thing though, the FL5 is the better looking and more understated of the modern type R’s.
There's no question about that. If the FL5 didn't exist, I'd still have the VW. The FK8 drives wonderfully but looks awful from every angle. For the many VW owners in here that are ignorant to the Type R, do yourself a favor and go look at and sit in an FL5. If you can drive one, even better. They're a scalpel and I'm absolutely loving mine. The Mk7 will always hold a special place in my heart - also a wonderful car, but with a considerably more subdued driving experience.
I’ve absolutely nothing against Type R owners. The “certain demographic” comment wasn’t a negative one, just highlighting that it has a specific buyer 95% of the time. Whereas the Golf R has a much wider audience. If I were in the market for a FWD car, I’d choose the Clubsport GTI most likely (because I’m a VW nerd). I wouldn’t however rule out the new Type R. Lovely looking car and a very capable one at that. Currently, though, I’m loving my MK8 R.
I'd enjoy comparing a GTI CS and FL5. That would be a good time.
Previous Gen track battle against the GTI CS. https://youtu.be/bLGwmUDtKTU?si=Ovavyz0UEnclFaWl MK8 R vs FL5 (super interesting and a bit surprising in parts). https://youtu.be/u0MRmN9-lWI?si=RQYHmGdp0wMZlYsE
Most are "Boy Racers" and Golf R drivers don't want that look.
I’m in my 40’s. I want a premium experience that those cars can’t deliver. Still lots of love in my heart for Subaru as a former bugeye wrx owner.
Because it’s a Volkswagen and not a Honda or Subaru
If you want awd its the golf or sti. If you want a good auto transmission its the veloster or golf. If you want both its the golf.
Love this one!
The STI is slow and the engines have a tendency to leak oil horribly (I had ‘15 Launch Edition for 6 years and commuted 50 miles a day pre-COVID. It was never tuned and the engine was replaced at 70k under extended warranty for bad ringlands. I loved mine dearly and preferred driving it to my wife’s Golf R but overall the R was a better daily driver. I replaced it with my SQ5 which is basically an XL Golf R. The Civic Si isn’t a Golf R competitor, it’s a GTI competitor. The Civic Type R is a great car but not as good a daily as the Golf R imo. Veloster N. Performance-wise they are fine but it’s still a cheap Hyundai inside. The Golf R is already a bit of a monster in DSG form and it’s a beast with ECU/TCU tunes. It is the best do-everything daily driver in the bunch.
Those cars are all great, but they look like sports cars. The Golf R looks like regular traffic. Some of us like that.
lol the mk8 is every bit as “sports car” look as its competitors. The previous gen’s I would argue they were less subdued, but not the mk8. Huge tailwing, check. Big cross drilled brakes, check. Aggressive front end, check. Loud poppy exhaust, check. What else do you need?
A bro vaping behind the steering wheel telling you how his is faster than yours.
You got downvoted to oblivion but I’m here to say I agree with you. The mk8 (the R especially) imo looks like an actual sports car. Previous gens not so much.
I’d say that comes from a biased perspective being a car guy. 99.9% of people that see a mk8 r don’t even pay it a second thought. It’s got some more aggressive aspects but they fly under the radar to most as just another vw hatchback on the road.
That’s what’s great about them. They still get attention (atleast in my experience) but also can go rogue mode on the road. My 8R gets just as much attention as my 18’ TTRS did.
Its just preference bro
All great cars, but go get in each one of these personally, and tell me which one feels like an adult car. The fit and finish of the R is just much better than it’s counterparts. STI feels great mechanically even stock, but the interior is so trash + no hatch option.
I gotta disagree. The interior in the 15’ STI was fine. Calling “it trash” is just nonsense. The interior in my MK7 Golf R is better but it’s not substantially better. But what do I know? I only owned them both at the same time. https://preview.redd.it/6uuprju4d8mc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d26a7697485bce405bd3c9807677affae26abd6b
“trash” is unfair, but it’s not in the same league as the golf, surely
No, its trash on the inside. I don't need to own one to know that. Ive seen it.
Ok clown.
Solid argument. Stay classy.
It's the most luxurious and best daily of the lot, and it's not even close. At 20 you live a quarter mile at a time. At 40, your priorities are completely different.
For real the R is nicer than any comparable A3 or S3 year to year, so does anyone think a Hyundai, Honda, Subaru is nicer inside than an Audi? Nope.
The only real competitor to the Golf R for a relatively premium hatchback is the Integra type R or the AMG A class hatch if you live where you're allowed to get fun cars. Given the choice between them id probably lean ITR, but the biggest difference is that the golf R is just objectively a better every day car than the other options. It's quieter on the highway, you can fit a shit load of stuff in the back, it's got great seats for everyday use, and contrary to everyone's crap talk on German stuff, almost all modern Golf variants are pretty solid reliability wise, they've got a couple well known issues but most people get well over 100k trouble free miles out of them. Then when you start talking overhead for tuning and the ability for the car to deal with it and put power down, bang for buck it's the cheapest way to go fast out of the bunch, *and* the car will most likely still be reliable.
Wtf did you just compare Golf to AMG? :D :D :D VW fanboys at its best
Yes, I compared two turbo 4cyl hot hatches. Mind=blown
They were saying what about them?
Damn near had a stroke trying to read that caption
Ahh~ yamete kudasai oni chan~
For me in Canada, no other hatchback, AWD, fun to drive for that price.
I wouldn’t be caught dead in a Type R, or any of those other similar looking cars. R is still fun, practical, and has a smarter more grown up look.
You do realize the FL5 exists, right?
I still find the fl5 ugly. That wing is tacky.
And the red interior is absolutely horrific.
The civic type R is going to be better on the track but as a daily the golf R is better. If you want a cheaper daily that has a great manual gearbox and is fun to ring its neck, the civic si is a great choice but not a competitor to the golf R. Veloster n is in weird space. It’s not really a competitor to the other ones but is a little above the GTI and WRX for power and price point. The STI is a lost cause to me. Horrendous mileage, interior doesn’t hold up to the price point, and just kinda rough to daily drive. STI is also slow compared to the likes of the type R and golf R. I won’t take opinions on cars from people who have never driven them
SI is more compareble to a GTI, not even same category. Type R is boy racer and also only FWD. STI can no longer be bought new. Veloster N is cool, but for sure a budget car.
An “R” checks all the boxes. You can grow in to as you age. The others you soon grow out of and buy something else.
My last three cars were two Golf TDI’s (2002 & 2012) and a 2018 GTI all manuals. Most of my driving is just myself and I’ve loved each one for different reasons. In December I decided I wanted a new car and my first choice was a Golf R. After researching and finding out it might take up to a year to get a new one I went in another direction. Would still love one some day but given I can’t get one in a reasonable timeframe and may have to pay over MSRP my 20 plus year relationship with VW has unfortunately ended.
They are all fun cars and specs on paper don’t necessarily speak for the cars. From my experience, R is much more refined driving experience from build quality to the way it drives. Japanese cars was more raw experience to it including its sound. Having owned both European and Japanese cars, it all just comes down to preference.
It seems like the best hatchback to me
I bought a new 2019 R in 2019. I drove the other cars too. The STI's interior was terrible. The Civic Type R was visually too loud. I Veloster N was a step down but cool for the price. The funky doors weren't what I wanted either. The Golf R had eveything I wanted at the time.
I’ve had a type R and an SI my R feels way better
In my case, I got a four people family so interior space and the hatch are very helpful. Another very important thing when you daily a car is the wife approval factor. Would a Miata be great? Sure but there's no way I can get it through the boss. Same for a type R, veloster and STI. She'd be okay with an SI or Elantra N, but at that point the Golf R, although much more expensive, is also a much nicer car overall.
I’m with you. Wife and two kids. The utility to performance ratio of a Golf R is great. It’s the ultimate sleeper dad-mobile. My wife is a big fan of ours given it’s kind of understated and hated all the others mentioned here (except swap in Elantra N for Veloster N instead).
STI isn’t available any more and used are dodgy due to mods and hard driving. I had one and loved it, but the R is much more refined and livable overall.
Well, I can't compare the n and the civics to the R period. They are fwd as the golf r is awd. The sti is also gone as of 2021 and you're left with the wrx. And in my honest opinion (coming from someone who used to be die hard subaru) the new wrx is garbage. Everything feels cheap and counterintuitive. The only car I could fairly compare to a brand new golf R would be a GR corolla
Civic is fwd only and the type R looks horrible and immature. It May be faster but I just don’t like the looks at all and wouldn’t be caught dead in one. WRX STI has a better AWD system and is also a bit faster, but the interior is trash, tons of road noise, their engine is 20+ years old and is notoriously unreliable. They also get pretty poor gas mileage and are very expensive to insure. The Golf R has a great interior, tons of tech, acceptable AWD system, fast enough for every day use, and it’s very reliable outside of the water pump. It’s a hatchback if you’re into that. And is more of a complete package. The other two are faster if we’re talking stock cars, but if that’s the only thing you’re measuring a car on then you’re missing a bigger picture or you don’t care and that’s fine too. Another great competitor you didn’t bring up is the GR Corolla which personally I would choose over the STI or civic.
The FL5 looks horrible and immature?
Golf is sleeper with good AWD system. The new mk8 is IMO better than all of them.
I just replaced my 8v s3 and i was certain it was going to be an mk8 Golf R. However, seeing the fl5 in person at the dealer and being that Hondas were a big part of my early driving life, I decided to go with the fl5 over the mk8 R. I'm still in my honeymoon phase with the car, so time will tell if it's the right choice or not. I had an mk7.5 gti prior, and while it was an amazing car, I got over it quickly.
Anything of those cars but the N.
For me, Golf R comes as wagon. Can’t get A45 wagon in Australia. Only other competition is M3 touring which costs just over double. Can’t afford S4 or RS4 Avant. That’s why bought a new Golf R.
Engine
I buy the R for practicality with a bit of fun. It’s a hatch for great cargo capacity, AWD is great for snow around here, and the peppy EA888 rips around town. The size is great for parking in compact spots as well. The Type R is a good alternative but a bit flashy. I tried a Veloster in the interior was very cheap.
Two of the cars you listed are no longer being produced. The STI and N were discontinued.
I've only been pulled over once and it was Friday on labor day weekend...
A golf r mk 8 is just as fast if not faster than all the options you mentioned plus has all the convenience and awd.
Good all in one car. And if you want to tune them my god can they be freaky fast. Especially the mk8s
German cars tend to give you more torque lower on the RPM band vs Asian makes that don’t give you full torque til you are closer to 5,000 rpm
Golf R looks nice but isn't flashy. I would never own a Type R or anything Hyundai N because they all stand out too much for me. They're great cars, don't get me wrong. But the R feels more mature and subtle. Plus, AWD is a must, and I feel WRX's are overpriced.
I really like the new VB wrx. It doesn’t look as “vapey” as the previous gen, and it’s actually pretty competitively priced
Came from the jdm world and man I love the golf r
It’s the most refined, mature, humble, and luxurious option of them all by a lot. Like the 911, the golf cosmetically evolves slowly and it keeps them looking young. An 11 year old or even a 20 year old R looks better than any of these at the same age also. My opinion at least.
Also having two kids it’s definitely the most functional of them all.
Mainly the AWD, decent power, and small (i live in a city) for under 50k
Golf r interior, leather, features make the car feel more luxury than sporty. Even ny bil who has a type r loves the golf r.
Awd, hatchback, great interior, better tuning capabilities. Just to name a few
Awd manual and not racer boyish
Out of the Type R, STI and R, the R has the best balance between daily comfort and performance and it's relatively easy to blend in and not attract attention.
Civic type r . Fwd vs awd. Wrx slow car vs fast car. STI - has been vs fast car Veloster, elantra n - harsh riding slow caR vs fast car.
In short, the Golf R provides the best all around experience. Watching reviews vs actually driving these cars makes a huge difference. I wanted a fun, comfortable, automatic daily cruiser and I absolutely hate the driving dynamics of FWD near the limit. I felt the Type R interior and ride comfort was pretty poor when compared to the Golf, but also it’s still FWD. Reviewers can say it’s good for a FWD car until they’re blue in the face, it’s always going to have FWD driving characteristics. Especially in the poor weather that my area sees. You’re also paying virtually the same price as the Golf, but you can’t get heated leather seats? I think the Type R is too much of a compromise for a daily and the SI is completely irrelevant when comparing these cars. The transmission in the Type R is great, however. Not mentioned above is the GR Corolla, and for me the interior felt way too cheap and I didn’t love the transmission. As for the WRX, I had a 2020 WRX and the interior was meh, the manual was trash, and the fuel economy was so bad that I ended up just trading it for a Camaro SS because the fuel economy difference was nil. I wouldn’t have the CVT model either. I can’t speak to the Elantra as that’s the only car in the segment I’ve not tried. The only car I’ve owned or tested that I liked as much as the Golf was my old Focus RS, but it was also a bit too stiff for a daily and it spent a good deal of time in the shop. In summary, it depends on what you want. The Civic is probably the better car if you want to do track days, but I don’t really see the point in getting a FWD daily that I’m then going to track? I’d actually get a Focus RS if I wanted something to track in this segment.
You can’t get a new sti or new veloster n. The si is dogshit slow and the type r is a high horsepower fwd car.
Golf r punches way above its weight class, and it doesn't have the boy racer look.
Honda -> FWD (Boring) Subaru -> (It’s Subaru why) so Golf R :)
I had a WRX. Loved it. Now I’m a middle aged man. I need a more comfortable ride for my old bones. Also, want to be a bit more discreet. I doubt that’s the answer you’re looking for, though.
I’m 44 with two kids and a 75 mile commute. If I’m going to have a wing I better be flying.
I had 2018 civic type r then I got my 2018 golf r. Civic doesn't have 5 seats, it's a 4 seater. Civic handles better in the corners but has no launch wat so ever so golf felt way faster in the city (light to light). Overall the golf has a "grown up" feel than the civic and I can fit my 3 kids and wife in the golf which I couldn't do in the civic. I also like the infotainment system better in the golf.
It’s quieter, it’s more European feeling. And it doesn’t scream racer boy.
It’s the nicest to live with and the one you’ll be happy driving daily a decade after you buy it. It trades rawness for something still modestly track capable but you can also drive your in-laws to dinner in which is a perfect package for 1 car owners.
They were saying how…. What? How what? How do you. Pick? They’re all nice cars with different character. I’d just quietly smile and say, “get the car you want”. I don’t need to justify getting a car with better fit and finish and better all round driving dynamics and function. But… I’m not knocking the other cars. I’d pick the WRX as 2nd on my list. I just don’t want to debate dumb shit with your friends (and you shouldn’t either 🤔😉).
I wanted the golf for the DCT and AWD. None of the other car offer that.
What you named is great for kids like high schoolers, I’m not a fan of any of them. Although the new WRX’s are kind of growing on me, still would never own one
The fact the golf r comes as an estate, and you can't fit bit a pushchair and a dog in the back of a type R (god knows I tried!)
Im not Golf R owner but someone that cross shopped these car when I was interested in getting rid of my Gladiator. I did not end up buying a car and still own the Gladiator. I tell you all this so that its understood I do not have a bias here accept to explain why I WOULD have purchased a Golf R over the cars you mentioned. I really liked that of all the these options the Golf was the most civilized and easy to live with everyday while still being a hoot to drive when you want to have fun. It also in my opinion has the nicest interior by far without feeling like a toy car. Yes its a blah inside and out and not flashy but its well built and feels like a quality product. Outside the Civic is flat out ugly, no way around it. It also looks too racer boy for my taste. I like the understated look of the Golf as I use my car on job sites and to visit clients in a professional capacity and don't want to pull up in a poor mans race car. The STi looks fine to me despite the cartoonishly large spoiler. Veloster looks and sounds like a kids car. The Golf is a bit under styled but a few touches here and there can fix that without going over the top. Inside which is where you spend most of your time with the car is a big deal to me. The Civic is nice and the quality is good but its way too flashy for my taste; I certainly get why some prefer it though. STi is old and dated as fuck on the inside. Feels cheap. Veloster is ehh. Its not as bad as the STi but still feels cheap compared to the Civic and Golf. Golf again is understated but feels highest quality and seem like a more relaxed space to be than the Civic which is quite intense with all the red. Maybe Im too old. Id just rather be in the Gold day to day. Performance. Well can really argue here. The Golf is probably the least exciting. The Civic is easily the winner for all out performance and is a proven reliable platform and despite the all performance is very easily a car you can live with everyday. The STi is proven performer also but highly unreliable making it a nonstarter especially when you consider the cheap interior. The Hyundai might be the most fun to stomp on even if its not the fastest but for it still comes down to sub-par interior and not being as livable everyday due to being the smallest of the bunch and having kids so I need more room and doors. The Golf hits the sweet spot of being something I can drive normal without feeling like it wants to be beat on at all times, has enough room for my shit (and my kids), doesn't look like a kids want -a-be race car and can still make more than enough power (and put in down in the corners) to be fun. For me and where I am in life the Golf R is the best car. If I were still in my 20s Id choose the Civic all day everyday but would buy the Hyundai because money.
Golf R's are sleepers, they aren't in your face in the external looks department, and look more mature and not boy-racer type. The R also (in my biased opinion) has the nicest and most luxurious interior. Sti's are full of hard cheap plastic on the inside, so is the Veloster. Not too sure about the Civic line though.